Former Indian cricketer Abhinav Mukund made a big claim saying that the amount of money IPL is earning is much less than what is paid to Indian players. This statement has come just before the start of the 19th edition of the Indian Premier League.
IPL is one of the biggest and richest leagues in the world. Players are bought in the Rs 10-18 crore bracket, which eventually increases year-on-year due to the growth of the league. However, former Indian cricketer Abhinav Mukund said that the players are being paid less than the money the league is making.
Is this really true about IPL?
The first season of the Indian Premier League was inaugurated after India’s successful victory in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2007. Following the demand for something like the T20 World Cup, IPL was launched where people can watch the fast-paced game in the country with a hint of glamor and entertainment around the field.
“I think Indian Premier League players are very underpaid. Listen, listen to me. Because the valuation of the league is very high. And if you look at other leagues around the world, the economics of it, you take baseball, you take F1, you can take any of these. In comparison, Rs 20 crore or Rs 25 crore is not really that much.
“If you look at it this way. If you are saying that IPL is one of the top 4-5 leagues in the world, then your players should also be paid like the top 4-5. It is not even in the top 10 or top 20. And if a player is in the top 10, it is because of all the other endorsements. Not because of IPL salaries. So the salaries should not be capped. I think IPL players can be paid more,” Mukund. Said. The Great Indian Cricket Show On Doordarshan.
There is no doubt that the plan is working well, with the number of franchises increasing due to the increasing interest from both national and international players. However, former Indian cricketer Abhinav Mukund believes that IPL players are extremely underpaid, as the typical top salary of ₹20-25 crore is not in proportion to the franchise’s huge earnings.
There is no doubt that the plan is working well, with the number of franchises increasing due to the increasing interest from both national and international players. However, former Indian cricketer Abhinav Mukund believes that IPL players are extremely underpaid, as the typical top salary of ₹20-25 crore is not in proportion to the franchise’s huge earnings.
IPL earns around Rs 400-500 crore annually
Continuing, he said, “An IPL team gets around Rs 400 to 500 crore a year, as I have read in the reports. I think they are spending at least Rs 100 to 120 crore, there should be a little more, maybe double that as the salary cap. Maybe Rs 200-250 crore.”
Comparison chart between IPL and other leagues in the world
If we compare the Indian Premier League with other big leagues around the world then it is already clear that According to reports, IPL gets only about 8.5% of the league’s revenue. In comparison, the English Premier League’s wage pool accounts for approximately 63% of the league’s revenue.
| union | total salary | total annual income | Salary as % of Revenue |
| epl | 0.5 billion | 0.80 billion | 63% |
| IPL | 8.3 billion | 0.20 billion | 41% |
| nba | 5.0 billion | 11.3 billion | 44% |
| formula 1 | 330 million | 3.6 billion | 9.1% |
However, this requires a little context. EPL players take part in 38 matches, which are played almost every week. In comparison, Indian Premier League players only get a share of two months’ work, with even the highest-earning players playing an average of 14–16 matches per season.
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